Mexican Beauty Influencer Valeria Márquez Shot Dead During TikTok Live Stream

14 May 2025

(Image: Valeria Marquez/TikTok)

Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old Mexican beauty influencer known for her glamorous online persona and extensive social media following, was shot and killed during a TikTok live stream in her beauty salon, Blossom The Beauty Lounge, in Zapopan, Jalisco, on May 13, 2025. The shocking incident, which unfolded in real time, has left her fans, the beauty community, and the public in disbelief and reignited urgent conversations about the alarming rates of femicide and violence against women in Mexico.

Márquez was a rising star in the beauty and lifestyle influencer world, with over 200,000 followers on TikTok and thousands more on Instagram. She often shared beauty tutorials, product recommendations, and snippets of her daily life, cultivating a loyal fan base who admired her positivity, creativity, and business acumen. She was also crowned “Miss Rostro” in 2021, a title that recognized her as one of the region’s most promising young models.

Her salon, Blossom The Beauty Lounge, had quickly become a popular spot for locals seeking modern beauty treatments and advice. Márquez prided herself on offering high-quality services and fostering a welcoming atmosphere for clients and followers alike.

On the day of the attack, Márquez was live streaming from her salon, engaging with fans while showcasing new products and services. During the broadcast, she mentioned receiving an “unexpected, expensive gift,” which she described as suspicious. Visibly uncomfortable, she told her audience, “I think I’m going to leave,” moments before a man entered the salon and shot her multiple times.

The live stream captured the terrifying moments of the assault, leaving viewers in shock. Although TikTok has since removed the footage for violating its policies, clips circulated online briefly, sparking an outpouring of grief, anger, and calls for justice.

The Jalisco state prosecutor’s office quickly launched an investigation, categorizing the killing as a femicide, a gender-based crime that has become a critical concern in Mexico. Femicide cases often involve factors such as relationship dynamics, targeted violence, or a pattern of threats. Authorities are working to identify the shooter and any possible accomplices, but as of now, no suspects have been publicly named.

Local advocacy groups have pointed to the broader context of violence against women in Mexico, where femicide rates remain alarmingly high despite government pledges to address the crisis. In 2023 alone, official figures showed nearly 1,000 women were murdered in incidents classified as femicide, though many believe the real number is even higher due to underreporting and misclassification.

The murder of Valeria Márquez has sent shockwaves through the influencer community and among her followers, many of whom are expressing outrage and sorrow. Fans and fellow influencers have flooded her social media pages with messages of support, memorial posts, and demands for accountability.

Gender-based violence activists have emphasized that the crime is part of a disturbing pattern that affects women across all walks of life in Mexico. “Valeria’s death is not an isolated incident,” one activist commented. “It’s a reflection of the systemic failure to protect women and the normalization of violence that we see everyday.”

Despite her young age, Márquez made a significant impact on those around her. She inspired countless women with her confidence, skill, and entrepreneurial spirit. Friends and clients have described her as warm, ambitious, and deeply passionate about her craft. Her tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the challenges women continue to face in Mexico, even in spaces that should feel safe like their workplaces or homes.

As the investigation continues, supporters hope that justice will be served and that Márquez’s story will help bring attention to the urgent need for systemic changes to protect women and hold perpetrators accountable.